Spring Term: ‘Are You Ready to Travel the World?'

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back! We hope you all had an enjoyable and restful break! Last half term, we worked incredibly hard across the curriculum and the children worked hard to develop their science knowledge! Our clever clogs have continued to work their socks off and we are so pleased with the work they’re producing and the enthusiasm they are showing in their own learning. We really appreciate your support and kinds words throughout last term, thank you for all your continued support.

 Are You Ready to Travel the World?

To launch our new Quest, which is titled, ‘Are You Ready to Travel the World,’ the children were presented with a variety of suitcases, back packs and chests, during a whole school assembly. The children were shown and discussed various items found in their special bags and have started to investigate who they belong to and where they have come from. This term there is a geography and history focus right across school.

In Year 1, the children will be making links with a school in Ghana and learning about the similarities, differences and changes in schools. This will then move to looking at the similarities, differences and changes between homes. Throughout this, the children will be investigating how to travel from the UK to Ghana and learning about the world around them, including the continents and oceans.
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In Year 2, the children will be investigating and learning about the similarities, differences and changes between The UK and China, (Shanghai). The children will discover a suitcase which has been left on a train in Shanghai. The children will investigate and plan a route to return the suitcase back to its owner, looking at the geography and how to travel from the UK to Shanghai. The children will also be looking at the similarities, differences and changes between transport, with a particular focus on trains.

OPAL reminder

The OPAL project is starting to take shape.  The Working Party has met with our school mentor three times across this term.  We plan to introduce new areas for play after the February half term holiday.  Mrs Adnett and Miss Garrett have written to you to explain some next steps including a bingo style collection event after Christmas and a working party day where we would appreciate parental help to help us get organised for our February launch.  Please find below a reminder of the bingo items which would really appreciate being donated by EYFS, Year 1 and 2. The working party team day is Friday 23rd January, where we would appreciate any volunteers to offer help to come into school to build and prepare items for the project. The date for any donated items to be brought into school is Wednesday 28th January. Thank you again for your continued support.

The PA plan to run the following events in the spring term

Thursday 22nd January – Movie Night for EY and KS1
Thursday 5th February – School Disco

General Information reminder
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With the colder weather on its way, please can we request that children bring a coat with them each day. A pair of wellies or extra shoes is useful for our weekly, outdoor learning activities. It would be useful, as with all items, that they are clearly labelled.

Dear Parents and Carers,
I cannot believe how fast this half term has gone.  The Christmas Fair on Friday marked the start of our Christmas activities in school and we look forward to welcoming you at the events we will be holding over the next couple of weeks.

Thank you to those of you who attended parent / teacher meetings earlier in the half term.  I hope you found the appointment useful.  As ever, the team are always happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding your child.

Staff News
I am delighted to tell you that Miss Hannah Garrett and Mrs Bridget Adnett have been successful in securing the role of permanent Deputy Headteacher at Norbury Hall Primary School.  Hannah and Bridget have been doing this role for the past 14 months in a temporary capacity.  Members of the Governing Board joined me to interview last week.  Both Hannah and Bridget’s enthusiasm and commitment to the role were highly evident.  As the role is a job share, Miss Garrett will be available in this capacity on a Monday and Tuesday and Mrs Adnett from Wednesday to Friday.

Whilst sharing this news, it seems relevant to share our leadership structure in school with you.  Mrs Sarah Downes is also a member of the leadership team in her capacity as Inclusion Lead and SENDCo.  Mrs Downes is non-class based on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and is available to meet with parents if you have any concerns about your child in relation to any additional needs they may have.

We also have phase leaders who ensure the smooth running of a couple of year groups in the school.  They are there for the children, staff and parents and spend their leadership time ensuring that the education of the children in their phase is the very best it can be.  The phase leaders are:

Mrs Kerry Robinson
Nursery and Reception

Mrs Sara Turner
KS1 – Year 1 and Year 2

Miss Becca Morgan
Lower KS2 – Year 3 and Year 4

Miss Hannah Garrett
Upper KS2 – Year 5 and Year 6

Parents’ Association News
I am delighted to tell you that our Parents’ Association raised a grand total of £4807 last Friday at our Christmas Fair.  I would like to thank Dannielle and her team for another great event.  Thank you to those of you who helped out in any way – it is much appreciated.  The PA has raised approximately £7000 this term.  Much of this will be supporting the OPAL project.

The PA plan to run the following events in the spring term:
Tuesday 20th January – Movie Night for KS2
Thursday 22nd January – Movie Night for EY and KS1
Thursday 5th February – School Disco
More details about these events will be available nearer the time.
 
OPAL
The OPAL project is starting to take shape.  The Working Party has met with our school mentor three times across this term.  We plan to introduce new areas for play after the February half term holiday.  I am sure you will appreciate that there is a lot of work to do behind the scenes before we can really get going.  Mrs Adnett and Miss Garrett will be writing to you to explain some next steps including a bingo style collection event after Christmas and a working party day where we would appreciate parental help to help us get organised for our February launch.  This date is Friday 23rd January.

I explained earlier this term that we are getting the children outside even when it might be raining.  We would ask that each child has a waterproof coat for playtimes as this will obviously dry off more quickly.  Please make sure this has your child’s name in it.

School Car Park
Can I please remind you that parents should not use the school car park unless you have an agreement with us.  I am mindful more parents are doing this and I am worried about everyone’s safety as cars pull out of the car park during the start and end of the day.

​Dear parents and carers,
 
Thank you so much for the very kind donations for our OPAL play project – this will be a great start to getting our project underway. We are so grateful for the time and energy that people have put in to support this project for the school. It will make such a difference for our children.
 
Over the Christmas break we would like to request a continuation of donations for the project. We have devised a bingo board for each class to collect resources and your child’s is attached to the email. We thought the timing would be appropriate as after Christmas many people like to have a sort out of old toys etc. The classes will try to complete their bingo board with a full house.
 
We would like the donations to be brought into classes on Wednesday 28th January. We will have an area at the junior gate leading onto the junior playground for any large items that are tricky for the children to carry.
 
We will also be having an OPAL working party day on Friday 23rd January from 9.15am where we would like some volunteers to help us to construct some shelters for resources and some wellie boot storage using the pallets that have been donated. If you are handy with a drill, prepared to clear and dig or if you could help organise resources you would be perfect for this job! Even if you could spare us half an hour that would be amazing. We will have made some prototypes to get us started. There will also be some bacon butties for encouragement! If you can offer your support please get in touch with us at:
 
[email protected]
 
We are really excited about this project and hope that you will support us in our efforts to improve playtimes for all children.  
 
Yours sincerely

Bridget Adnett and Hannah Garrett
Deputy Headteacher

Autumn Term — What Makes Our World Work?
Week Beginning: 1st December 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,
 
This week we will be…
· Reading and retelling the story of the Gingerbread Man
· Acting out the story of the Gingerbread Man
· Creating our own Gingerbread Man out of playdough
· Recognising numerals to ten, including zero and numerals beyond  
· Practising our cutting skills
 
Festive Quest
Over the next fortnight as we lead up to Christmas, we will sharing the beautiful story, ‘Christmas Lights on Mistletoe Street’ and talking about the magic of kindness and community at this time of year. 
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We will be busy practising our singing ready for our ‘Singalong’’, making Christmas lanterns and baking our gingerbread, as well as lots of other Christmas activities.

Library books
Library books will be collected in on Wednesday 17th December. The children will choose a new library book when they return to school in the Spring Term.
 
Thank you so much,
The Reception Team

On Wednesday 10th December 2025 it will be our ‘Festive sing-a-long’ and children are invited to come to school in a Christmas themed outfit or their party clothes.
 
There will be two performances by the children on this day in the main school hall. Children in Reception will take part in both performances and will be supported by either our beginning or end of the week Nursery children. The times of the two performances are below:
 
·  Performance 1: 9.15am – 10.15am
·  Performance 2: 2pm – 3pm
 
During the hour, the children will perform their songs in the hall and then there will be some ‘light refreshments’ within the Reception classrooms. This also offers a chance to give your child a well-deserved hug.
 
An invite will be sent from ‘Parent Booking’ where you will be able to reserve 2 seats for each performance. The seats are free of charge and we are using the online platform to indicate how many seats are needed for each performance in order to adhere to safety regulations.  
 
You should have already received a link to allow you to book for each performance, please do speak to the office if you are having any issues.
 
Please do not hesitate to ask any questions,
 
The Reception Team

​Wednesday 10th December 2025 will be our ‘Festive sing-a-long’ and children are invited to come to Nursery in a Christmas themed outfit or their party clothes.
 
For children who attend at the beginning of the week and full time, the performance by the children will start at 9:15 am in the main school hall. Afterwards there will be some ‘light refreshments’ within the nursery and a chance to give your child a well-deserved hug before leaving for home with parents/ or to wait for child care, as arranged.
 
For children who attend at the end of the week and full time, the performance by the children will start at 2 pm in the main school hall. Afterwards there will be some ‘light refreshments’ within the nursery and a chance to give your child a well-deserved hug before leaving for home with parents/ or to wait for child care, as arranged.
 
An invite will be sent from ‘Parent Booking’ where you will be able to reserve 4 seats for each child. The seats are free of charge and we are using the online platform to indicate how many seats are needed for each performance in order to adhere to safety regulations. 
 
Wednesday 17th December 2025 will be our Christmas party in Nursery for each of our children, either in the morning and the afternoon. Children can wear special party clothes and enjoy party games and treats. There will hopefully be a visit from someone special  too!
 
The last nursery session before Christmas (for beginning of the week children and full-time children) is Monday 22nd December 2025.
 
The last nursery session before Christmas (for end of the week children) is Friday 19th December 2025.
 
Please do not hesitate to ask any questions,
 
The Nursery Team

We are less than 3 weeks away from our annual Christmas fair, and we cant wait to see you there! Below is some key information for you to understand what's happening in the build up, how you can help, and what to expect on the night.

Christmas Fair - Friday 28th November, 5pm - 7pm

Grotto
Every year, Santa comes to Norbury Hall, meeting children all night long in his gorgeous Grotto! Tickets are available to book now, via this link - https://tickets.mp/norburyhallgrotto2025 - or the QR code. A ticket is for a timed slot of 15 minutes, from 5pm to 6:45pm. All children will receive a small gift after their time with Santa - please advise when booking of any dietary requirements. Space is limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets are £5 per child. 

Secret Gift Room
Our other annual tradition is our secret gift room. This is where the children pay to select a gift for their parents and carers in secret - our volunteers and teachers help them to choose, and then the gift is bagged and sealed ready for Christmas Day. We ask for donations to this on the Friday before the fair, in exchange for a non-uniform day. Dates for this are below.

This is a very popular room, and last year we sold out very quickly. This year we are asking anyone who may have unwanted gifts at home, suitable for men or women, to please donate these on top of their usual gift donation, so that we can remain open for as long as possible.

Tombolas
Our bottle and chocolate tombolas are always a hit - and as always, we will be asking for donations on the day of the fair in exchange for a second non-uniform day. Nursery and Key Stage 1 children are asked to bring a donation of sweets and chocolates for the chocolate tombola, and Key Stage 2 children a bottle - this can be alcohol, soft drinks, toiletries - anything in a bottle! 

Raffle
Raffle tickets will be sent home soon in book bags, with additional tickets available to collect from the school reception shortly afterwards. Tickets can be handed in right until the draw takes place, usually around 6:30-6:45 on the night. We have some great prizes donated from parents and local businesses already - including a top prize of £100 cash. Please encourage your friends and family to buy tickets and support the PA!

If you or your family have a prize they would be willing to donate - please get in touch with us at [email protected] to arrange collection. 


Non-uniform dates
Friday 21st November - in exchange for a donation to the Secret Gift room. 

Nursery and KS1 children - bring in a gift suitable for men, in an unsealed gift bag
KS2 children - bring a gift suitable for women, in an unsealed gift bag

Gifts can be toiletries sets, socks, books, puzzles - you name it! So long as they are in good condition, and in date (if food/drinks). Please ensure the gift is brought in an unsealed gift bag so that the bags can be used on the night to wrap the gifts once the children have chosen them. 

Friday 28th November (Fair day) - in exchange for a donation to our tombolas
CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY

Nursery and KS1 children - bring in a donation to the chocolate tombola
KS2 children - bring in a donation to the bottle tombola

There will be a bottle donation point on the playground at the entrance gates to reduce the chances of bottles being dropped on the way in!


On the Night
Expect a festive brass band, a Christmas donkey, warm mulled wine and hot food, football fun from 8BY8, and stalls from local businesses. There will be a bar available serving wine, beer and soft drinks - with both cash and card payments available. 

The fair runs from 5pm till 7pm, so please come along whenever you can to enjoy the festivities! Entry is £1 per person - Norbury children go free (cash only on the gate).

Dear Parents and Carers,
 
This week we will be…
· Learning  more about Bonfire Night and why it takes place
· Exploring colour and patterns linked to fireworks 
· Listening to the noises of the fireworks
· Talking about safety around fireworks and bonfires
· Exploring shape – circles and triangles
 
Funky Fingers
You may have heard your child mention Funky fingers to you. This is something that we do every day.  It is a carousel over the week of different activities that each support fine motor development and building up the muscle strength in our hands.
In our carousel we have:
· Cutting practise
· Handwriting
· Name/number formation
· Dough gym (with playdough)
· A fine motor activity: e.g. threading, tweezing
 
The children access one of these activities each day.
 
Parents evening
We look forward to seeing you at parents evening this week.
 
The appointment will take place in the school hall so please enter school through the main office for your appointment. We will have 10 minutes to discuss how the first half term has gone and also answer any questions that you may have.  Your child’s book, with all their super learning inside, will also be available in the hall for you to look at.
 
Healthy eating
To further support the promotion of healthy eating and consumption of more vegetables in our diet, the school nurse has passed on a useful website:
https://simplyveg.org.uk/
 
Jury Service
Just to let you know that Mrs Robinson has been called for Jury service w/b 17th November for up to two weeks. Your child will continue to be supported and taught by Miss Bradbury and supply staff during this period.
 
Please do not hesitate to speak/email a member of staff if you have any questions.
 
Finally, as the weather is increasingly getting colder, please unsure all clothing coming into school is named.

Thank you so much,
The Reception Team

Dear Parents and Carers,
I trust you had a good half term break and that the children are now refreshed and ready for the return to school.  We are looking forward to another exciting half term of learning at Norbury Hall.

I would like to thank Mrs Travis and Mrs Campbell as they have kept our office running efficiently over the last 18 months with varying staff changes and changes to the way things run now we are part of a trust. ​

​Wow we cannot believe we are already at October half term! We are so proud of how well all the Nursery children have settled into their new environment. It has been so lovely to see them getting more comfortable each day – making new friends, forming relationships with the adults in the classroom and exploring different activities. 

Phonics
We have started our phonics sessions in small groups. At school we follow the Letters and Sounds phonics programme. We have started by focussing on phase 1 phonics. Phase 1 phonics is the first stage of early reading development and it focuses on helping children develop strong listening and speaking skills before they begin learning letters and sounds. During this phase, children take part in fun, play-based activities that help them tune into the sounds around them and sounds their bodies can make. They also enjoy rhymes, songs, and stories to help them recognise rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration (words that start with the same sound). As their confidence grows, children begin to explore how words are made up of individual sounds, practising skills like blending sounds together (e.g. hearing “c-a-t” and saying “cat”) and breaking words down into their separate sounds. These early listening and sound awareness skills are essential building blocks for learning to read and write later on.
 
Lunchtimes
We really enjoy lunchtimes in Nursery and the social side of it too. Just a reminder that if your child has grapes or other small fruits/vegetables in their lunchbox, please ensure that these are chopped (lengthways and then halved again).
The children have set times for a drink at snack time and lunchtime, but we also have the children’s drinks bottles accessible throughout the day for children to have a drink when needed.
As these drinks are accessible for children throughout the day, we would like to remind you of the Department of Education’s advice that water is a healthier option than juice.

Library
The children will begin going to the school library after half term and will bring home their chosen book in a reading wallet each week. Please could they be returned to school on your child’s set day:

• Nursery beginning of the week and full-time children: Wednesday
• Nursery end of the week: Thursday

 
School applications
Just a reminder the Reception applications are open and the deadline to apply is the 15th of January 2026. Applications need to be made for all children, irrespective of their current Nursery place. Please chat to one of us if you want to know more about the process.